


Joint Venture

by bobbiewickham



Series: Less Miserable [5]
Category: Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:47:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23322691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobbiewickham/pseuds/bobbiewickham
Summary: Fantine and Zéphine look at an apartment together.
Series: Less Miserable [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/382624
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Joint Venture

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PilferingApples](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PilferingApples/gifts).



“If we band together, we can afford this.”

Zéphine gestured grandly at the room. It was not a small one, and there was light, and there were no leaks to be seen, which was better than Fantine was expecting. It was a one-room garret apartment, and the landlord had informed Zéphine and Fantine that the rate was something they could both pay–together.

Since arriving in Paris Fantine had fended for herself, until she found Tholomyès. The idea of “banding together” with Zéphine was a strange new thing, even now when they had become closer friends. She had seen other girls have friends like that, particular friends they lived with and shared money with all the time, but Fantine herself somehow never did. There was always something between her and others, like a veil. She could only see them in a fuzzy sort of way, like her eyes were always full of tears, and she could never touch.

Until Tholomyès, or so she’d thought. And now, not even him. She had her Cosette, and nothing could come between them, but it was for her to protect Cosette, and no one would protect her. Except maybe Zéphine, which was confusing.

Zéphine misread her look. “I know it seems bad, but we can fix it up so it looks nice. Hang a pretty picture here, some flowers there–and when Dahlia leaves her rooms, we might move to the two-room apartment on the third floor, because those people are leaving soon after. Favourite probably won’t want to come, but if she does it will be even cheaper, and we can all work a little less.” 

“It’s not bad,” said Fantine. “I like it. It faces the sun. Cosette can have her little bed here, and you and I can sleep there.”

“Like sisters.” Zéphine looked pleased. “Do you know, I think it will be fun, living with another girl. I haven’t done it in years. I was so upset when Fameuil left, because it means I have to leave my nice apartment and stop buying pretty things, and I will miss his gifts.” She sighed, and toyed with the golden chain around her neck. “But–” She giggled. “I always felt either lonely or crowded at home. Lonely, when he wasn’t there, and crowded when he was.” 

“I loved it when Tholomyès was there. I loved him. But now I’m happy he’s gone, since he cared nothing for Cosette.”

“How firm you’ve become,” Zéphine said, approvingly. “You’re entirely right, and I shall follow your example.” She paused and gave Fantine one of her dramatic looks. “Some men do care for children, you know.”

“I suppose,” Fantine said, absently, gazing out the window into the street that seemed overflowing with yellow sunlight, like a cup full of bright sparkling wine.

“That Bahorel, for instance, seemed very taken with Cosette, though he’s the sort who would find it amusing to train her as a circus acrobat.”

“Of course he is, she’s so charming.” Fantine found it perfectly natural for anyone to be taken with Cosette.

“Yes.” Zéphine gave her a sidelong, amused glance, which irritated Fantine. The girls were always giving her that kind of glance, and Fantine never knew what it meant, except that they all knew something she didn’t.

She changed the subject. “We will need furniture–the bed is all right, but we should have a larger chest, and Cosette will need a cot. And we need a better table for sewing.”

Zéphine made a face. “It would be nice to play with Cosette all day, instead of sewing.”

“We can take turns watching Cosette, while the other one sews,” Fantine suggested, a bit shyly. “It’s hard to do both at the same time now that she’s noisier and bigger.” She didn’t know if Zéphine would truly want to do that–but Zéphine’s face lit up at the idea.

“That will be a nice rest for our eyes and fingers,” she agreed, “and we can take her out for walks in the street.”


End file.
